Federal Government Ends Newfoundland Cod Moratorium After More Than 30 Years

Federal Government Ends Newfoundland Cod Moratorium After More Than 30 Years
A fisherman carries cod caught in the nets of a trawler off the coast of New Hampshire in this April 23, 2016 photo. The Canadian Press/AP-Robert F. Bukaty
The Canadian Press
Updated:
0:00

The federal government is ending the northern cod moratorium off the north and east coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador after more than 30 years.

The government says it is re-establishing a commercial northern cod fishery with a total allowable catch of 18,000 tonnes for the 2024 season.

Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier called it a historic milestone for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s northern cod population collapsed in the early 1990s.

The federal government closed the fishery in 1992 in a bid to protect dwindling stocks and allow them time to recover.

The moratorium wiped out tens of thousands of jobs and transformed the province’s economy and demographics.